US | Barack Obama Barack H. Obama Elementary School to Close Asbury Park school hit by declining enrollment over decade By Nick McMaster Posted Mar 18, 2011 5:14 PM CDT Copied President Obama speaks at Kenmore Middle School in Arlington, Va., Monday, March 14, 2011. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Just a year after it was renamed to honor President Barack Obama, an elementary school in New Jersey's Asbury Park is closing, the Asbury Park Press reports. The school's enrollment has dropped 35% over the last decade, so it got the short straw when the district opted to shut one down. When administrators renamed the school, they took criticism for what was seen as a superfluous move at a troubled school, notes Yahoo's the Ticket blog. The main proponent, who argued that students would get a "subliminal boost" by the new name, says she's on board with the closing if it's for the students' greater good. Read These Next The Bezos-Sanchez wedding: guest list, cost, the dress, and more. This is why your cat loves sleeping on its left side. Cops nab 9th fugitive in New Orleans, with 'one more to go.' Trumps ends trade talks with Canada. Report an error